Gravity Rises
by Snekswag
Summary: Gravity Rises is a small town with a knack for the strange and a bigger knack for hicks, and that's all Pacifica expects out of her summer. But when a series of newcomers roll in, including friendly Gideon and two twins straight out of a paranormal circus fantasy, things start to change. Top that with three hidden journals and a demon slave, and summer might just turn! (Rev Falls)
1. Prologue

Prologue

The rising sun was a streak of blood across the edge of a mostly dark morning sky when the baby blue roadshow van plowed through a deep thicket of pine trees. Printed in swirling white letters, the side of the van read, "Pines Twins: Magicians and Performers Extraordinaire" Below, in notably smaller print, the words, "In Association with Pines Family Circus, GR, Oregon" could be seen. A thick curtain of black velvet hung over the back windshield, concealing the passengers inside. In the near darkness and thick forest, the vehicle was almost completely camouflaged as it glided down the dirt path.

Inside, 14 year old Maybelle and "Dip-Dop" Pines sat in silence. The brunette twins had almost identical outfits: A light blue dress shirt, dark slacks, and shiny black shoes. They also possessed matching amulets, glowing aquamarine stones that bore an unsettling resemblance to the cold eyes of both teenagers. Dip's was on his shirt collar, whereas Maybelle preferred to wear hers atop a black headband that kept her long, chocolate colored hair out of her eyes. Her twin's own bangs were gelled back to reveal his abnormal birthmark that was a carbon copy of the Big Dipper on his forehead. He actually acted quite proud of its 'magnificence', and he and his sister were quick to attack anyone who thought otherwise.

Breaking the eerie silence, Maybelle spoke up in a smooth voice that implied she was a better singer than many, "Gravity Rises, huh? What a funny name."

"Oh, I'd believe it. This place is sure to be a sleepy little hick town. But don't worry, Sister. We're going to change all of that." Dip-Dop brushed his fingers across the shimmering surface of his amulet, the light beginning to pulsate as the van passes the welcome sign into the small Oregon town of Gravity Rises.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One: The Dynamic Duo Meets

The small bell on the Mystery Shack door gave a chime as Pacifica Northwest strolled in. Clad in a turquoise jacket displaying exotic pink cheetah print, large hoop earrings, and sparkly purple leggings, the teenage blonde wasn't exactly sporting summer style. The dark haired cashier at the end of the room looked up in acknowledgement before sticking his nose back in his book. Pacifica rolled her eyes. _A little Hello would suffice,_ she thought. She only had a small, slightly inconvenient crush on the older teenager. Confidently, she strutted over and smacked one set of glittery pink nails on the counter. Startled, the bookworm jolted upward. His brown eyes flitted around anxiously, and his reading glasses had been knocked askew. Pacifica laughed, "Hey Robbie!"

"It's Robert, actually," He corrected stiffly as he straightened his grey sweater vest with a small sigh. Forcing a tight smile, he looked down at the blonde, "What can I do for you today?"

"Nothing really. I just wanted to look around, y'know… maybe talk a little." A small blush blossomed on Pacifica's cheeks. With nothing to do for the rest of the two months before high school started, she had decided to make a move on Robert. However, dream-nerd wasn't quite wooed.

"Well, I don't get paid to talk," Robert replied in a clipped tone before reopening his thick piece of literature. He grabbed his glasses from where they were hanging off the counter and put them back on, magnifying his pale skin and dark eyes. What the fourteen year old ball of perkiness saw in him was unknown, and it was slightly obvious that the introvert didn't return her feelings. Such is love.

"Oh, I see. I was just a little lonely, and I thought we could chat. I mean it _is_ summer and I have high school coming up. This is like, all I've got left for free time."

Partially relating to her obvious loneliness and partially realizing he couldn't escape, Robert stuck a bookmark between the pages of his book. "Well, I don't have much better to do, do I? Business is going to be slow today."

Pacifica's face lit up. "Great! So… what're your summer plans?"

"Not very much, actually," The cashier scratched the back of his head. "I'm working weekdays here. I'll probably be at the new tattoo parlor a lot. Hell, I might get one."

The blonde scrunched up her face. "Ew! Tattoos are so disgusting! Why would someone ever do that to their skin? I mean, you're literally like cutting yourself and filling it up with ink." Although she normally maintained a calm posture, Pacifica Northwest had a strong opinion on 'edgy tattoos', and that was it.

"Chill out, Captain Buzzkill. My parents would roast me alive if I had ever got a tattoo. They think it's 'corrupting the youth' or some bull like that. Anyway, let's just change the subject. What're your summer plans?"

"I-I don't really know exactly. My mom and dad just let me go wherever, but I don't have any… friends." She blushed red as a cherry again, only out of embarrassment. Normally, she had the confidence to overlook such things, but it seemed to hit home when said aloud. Pacifica wasn't unpopular at Gravity Rises Middle; she just didn't socialize much. Many of the students she knew went away over the summer anyway. However, she still had to avoid the bullies lurking on the streets through the summer heat. Pacifica shuddered, thinking of the time she'd seen a kid literally mugged and dunked in a trash can by Candy and Grenda, two tough bullies with high records of no mercy.

Robert noticed her pain and attempted to comfort her with a small smile. He'd been there before. "Hey, do you like music? I play guitar with a few friends, and maybe you could listen sometime."

Just as the blonde was about to reply, the door to the Shack swung wide open. A short, stocky boy with fluffy hair so pale that it was actually white walked in. He approached them cautious with a nervous toothy grin on his face. "Well, uh… howdy there! I'm new 'round these parts, and I thought maybe y'all might have a map… or somethin'."

Robert's open personality ceased, and he returned to his regular introverted self. "No maps here. You can check with Melody though. She's our repairman, although she does a shoddy job." His nose slowly inched itself back into the book in his hands.

Pacifica, annoyed that her conversation had been cut short, piped up, "Gravity Rises is a pretty small town. It doesn't take a genius to find the mall. What's your name anyway?"

"Oh, how silly o' me, I'm Gideon Gleeful!" He stuck out a chubby hand. "But folks back home call me Li'l Gideon. My father's sellin' cars up here for summer."

"Pacifica Northwest." The blonde took his hand lazily and shook it. She continued to study the other closely. He was awfully folksy, but half the town's population was too, so it was nothing that she didn't know. His pudgy cheeks were dotted with unattractive splashes of freckles, and his small nose strongly resembled a pig snout. And that hair was the strangest she'd seen in a long time. He had pretty blue eyes though. They were a light and sparkly shade of periwinkle that could easily turn icy if provoked.

After a considerably awkward silence, Gideon shifted his weight. He could tell the other two weren't exactly bursting with joy at his presence. "It was nice meetin' y'all. I think I'll have a li'l look around before I leave. Sure is a nice place." He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his baggy shorts before shuffling off. Pacifica felt a sudden pang of guilt for being so dismissive. The younger boy honestly was one of the few people she'd met with such a cheerful personality to strangers, even though he was goofy looking.

She watched curiously as Gideon examined a shelf of white hats with sky blue accents. They all sported different symbols, but he seemed to fancy one with a pastel star on it. In the center of the star, there was an eye. It was weird, sure, but Pacifica could dig weird. She walked over and tapped the shorter boy on the shoulder. He jumped a little and twisted to face her with a gasp, triggering a giggle from the older girl. He gave her a small scowl. "Darn it, ya nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Pacifica gestured to the hat. "I just thought you should try it on. Y'know, it matches your outfit." She was clearly no fashion expert, but the hat really did go well with his outfit.

Gideon looked down at his white shirt and light blue vest, and his smile slowly returned as he compared the cap before placing it carefully on his head. He turned to look in the mirror next to him. "It sure does, don't it? I daresay I look nice."

They both smiled at each other, and Pacifica playfully jabbed him. "There, now you look like less of a dork with that hair covered up!" Realizing what she'd said, she quickly added, "It's a cool hat too."

"Nah, it's okay. I know I ain't exactly a prizewinnin' pig, so to speak. I sure do like this hat though. I think I'll buy it."

"I'll pay," The blonde offered, but her companion was already pulling a five dollar bill out of his pocket.

"It's fine, Paz, if you don't mind me callin' you that. Ya can't buy kindness." He gave her a large, rosy cheeked smile that looked sweet as honey. Pacifica assumed he was twelve or so, but his chubby face looked like a toddler's, a pretty cute toddler too.

After Robert rung up the hat without batting an eye, the kids strolled out into the bright warmth of the June sunshine. Pacifica immediately shielded her eyes from the nearly blinding light. "Geez, Robbie keeps it so dark in there. What is he, a vampire?" Her third blush of the morning came at the thought of a dark, mysterious vampire love interest.

"I'd believe it," Gideon replied casually. "Magic's real, an' I bet this town's full of it."

Pacifica snorted. "How do you even know? You've been here for like a day, and all you've seen is a gift shop. I mean the actual Shack's cool and all, but it's _so_ fake."

"I'm not talkin' about monsters! I'm talkin' about real magic, like curses and auras and stuff. There's somethin' about that li'l tourist trap...who owns it?"

She paused to think as she pulled her golden hair off her neck and into a ponytail. "I'm pretty sure it belongs to Old M-, I mean Mr. McGucket, but so does half the land in town. He really doesn't need it with all the cash he's got, although he's always looking for business. But I think he actually bought it from the Pines."

"Oh, ya mean them fancy magician kids?"

"No, I mean the crappy circus downtown," Pacifica gave him a puzzled look. "Mr. Pines hires traveling carnies year-round. I mean, he's a first class con-man, but I doubt he could afford high class child magicians."

"Well, they must be his li'l grandkids or somethin', 'cause I saw a van with 'Pines Twins' on it and a new sign for their show. It's called The Tent o' Telepathy, ain't that fancy?"

There was a pause, and Pacifica finally responded, "Well Gideon, I guess we do have a little magic on our hands."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: The Tent of Telepathy

Did Stan Pines believe in magic? Yes, believe it or not. Did he believe in blessings? Yes, although they were rare for the poor man. Did he believe in curses? Hell yes, till the grave, he did. And at the moment, the con-man couldn't decide just what his niece and nephew were. From the second they had rolled up in the filthy lot behind his circus, he had known they were trouble. It was just the soft screech of tires and shiny glare of the white print on their van in the rising sunlight; it sent a shudder of fear down his spine. Granted, Stan was a timid man.

However, the sight of the young performers was what had really fired up his fear and suspicion. Standing in matching outfits, the twins had the beauty, majesty, and mystery of… of someone Stan hadn't seen in awhile. And oh God, those eyes, those piercing turquoise eyes that coldly followed every move he made. He knew those eyes too. They were eyes that haunted his childhood. They were the same eyes he had seen when the twins were born, fourteen years ago. The boy still had his abnormal birthmark, and the girl still had the same long eyelashes and pouty lips. Both shared the icy look and stylish costumes. If someone wanted magicians, they fit the bill.

Although they'd arrived at the indecent time of 5:30 in the morning, long before Stan's first planned show, both teenagers had immediately begun to snap cold orders at Stan and his assistant, Soos. Dip-Dop wanted the mess of a big top tent cleaned up before he vomited at the unprofessionalism, and Maybelle demanded for her personal wardrobe to be unloaded and organized. Soos, of course being the huge unemotional hunk of a trained monkey that he was, had no problem with being bossed around. The buck toothed lump of muscle was the closest thing Stan had to family before his … _strange_ relatives had visited, yet Soos never bought into the 'father-son' deal that Stan wanted. The family deal that he wanted. The one he never got.

Both had given their great uncle one look and curled up their lips in disgust. Honestly, he didn't blame them. Standing in a flashy Hawaiian shirt, straw hat, and smudged, cracked glasses magnifying nervous brown eyes lined with huge bags, Stan had greeted them with one shaky hand and taken a sip of black coffee from the chipped mug in the other. The boy had cocked an eyebrow and remarked coldly, " _You're_ seriously a performer? A businessman too? No wonder this place is so in the dumps."

A small smile had tugged at the girl's lips after hearing the comment. "Well, you don't have to worry anymore, Stan. We've swooped down to save your silly little circus from debt! But first, you have to look the part. Luckily for you, I managed to make a lovely suit fit for a _real_ ringmaster."

Both twins chuckled and each took one of Stan's arms. As the two led him to the van where their entire act was stored, Dip-Dop smirked once more. "Oh yeah, and lose the nervous twitch. No one wants to watch a mouse when they can see a lion."

By late morning, all four permanent inhabitants of the circus had been fitted in proper attire, and the magic act had been set up completely. All the typical magic tricks were included, but the twins had added a little twist at the end to spice things up. They knew that the opening show is always the most important.

Soos, who had been deemed the prop man and wardrobe assistant, was sporting a dark suit and slicked back hair, although he still looked somewhat goofy with a few scrawny traces of a beard and front teeth that stuck out a little too much. It was honestly a wonder how long the heavyset young man had stayed with Stan in the sorry excuse for show business. Perhaps it was only pity that kept him around. While he was not at all keen on being kind to others, Soos had found that the older man garnered a sort of sympathy from him. Either way, Soos was now stuck doing odd jobs for Mr. Pines' creepy niece and nephew. Somehow, he had no objection to it either.

Stan himself looked very much like a ringmaster, but it wasn't the finest look for him. The stiff blue suit that Maybelle had stuffed him in brought back painful memories. Memories of clumsy knife throwing and painful burns from 'fire breathing' that still scarred Stan. Although he hated to admit it, he wasn't fit for the circus. He had awful stage fright that he kept well hidden. Sure, Stan could do a few good card tricks, maybe pick a pocket or two before pulling a quarter out of someone's ear, but after growing up a circus child in New Jersey, he'd wanted nothing other than freedom from clowns and magicians. However, something had come up, and Stan ended up with dump of wasted talent in the middle of nowhere. He hadn't even been able to keep performers, except for Soos, who filled in for the role of a clown, muscle man, or even tattooed lady when business was low. As he ran a hand through his grey hair, Stan muttered under his breath to no one in particular, "This is _all_ for you, Poindexter."

Maybelle emerged from her dressing tent with a dramatic flip of her hair and walked over to Stan with gloves and a top hat. "I forgot these, by the way. Oh, and what about an eyepatch?"

Before he could reply, she already answered her own question. "Nevermind, that's a little too edgy. An eyepatch over glasses looks tacky anyway. Wouldn't you agree, Brother?"

"Hmm… oh right, yes." Her twin was rustling through a storage box of old circus tricks. He felt the rough, tattered edge of a book hit his hand and pulled it out with a small smile. It was thick, with a dusty red cover with and gold plated corners and a large golden hand on the center. As he swiped the thick, musty film off of it, Dip-Dop could make out the number two in faded black paint. Curiously, he counted the fingers on the hand. "Six fingers… odd enough"

Maybelle cleared her throat. "What nerdy piece of junk have you found now?"

"Oh, nothing. I'll tell you after the show." He briskly walked over and whispered in her ear. "After Geezer here is gone."

Stan was obliviously pulling on the white gloves. In a hoarse voice, he spoke up, "S-Sweetie, I was just w-w-wondering, is this r-really what we're going for? R-ringmaster?"

His niece snapped back, "What else are you? We're the performers, and you yell into a microphone about what we're about to do."

Without waiting for objection, his nephew added, "In case you haven't noticed, we're trying to transform your business. That means the flashy tourism is over. Unlike you, we happen to have talent and a plan. Forget Hawaiian shirts and card tricks, and go sell tickets. There's already a line."

After losing two dollars apiece to the the overzealous yet obviously fake ringmaster at the door, Pacifica and Gideon walked into the chilly blue and white tent. As they searched for seats, Pacifica muttered to her friend, "This place sure changed a lot. I don't mean to be rude, but… Mr. Pines never looked this good. Well, he's still phony, but the circus actually looks y'know, interesting. I saw him twice and all I got out of it was that he was a bad magician and a good thief."

Gideon replied, "He don't look good to me, Paz. I mean when I gave him my two bits, his hand was shakin' like crazy. And his eyes… that man ain't seen good times in a long time."

They sat down in the front row between a tattoo covered redhead and an empty seat. Pacifica recognized her as Wendy, a slacker teenager that loitered around town frequently. The redhead rolled her eyes as she leaned back and sighed, "This thing is more lame than when I actually had to volunteer here two summers ago."

"I think it's pretty cool" Pacifica replied, giving her a hard glare. "Especially for someone who's as poor as the Pines are. Besides, you haven't even _seen_ the show yet."

Wendy gave the younger girl a dirty look and prepared to snap back, but the lights suddenly dimmed. A gruff voice boomed over the speaker, " _Hello folks, and welcome one and all to the Pines Family Circus! Starting today, we've got a very grand summer performance. Now presenting the Pines Twins: Magicians and Performers Extraordinaire!"_

Backstage, Stan nearly keeled over wheezing after he finished. The mic for the speaker was awful quality, and he'd practically had to yell into it. For someone who had been smoking a pack a day since he was a teenager, the effects were unpleasant. At least he had managed to hide his stutter, but his hands were already trembling again. He recovered quickly and picked the microphone back up as the twins walked out.

When the two strutted beneath the spotlight and introduced themselves, both Pacifica and Gideon felt their jaws drop. The boy was slim and sharp featured with a prominent birthmark on his forehead. Some constellation. As he smiled pleasantly into the audience, Pacifica felt her face grow warm. The girl next to him, his twin by the looks of it, was dazzling. Her bright blue eyes glimmered as she practically sang, "Hello Gravity Rises! I'm Maybelle, and this is my darling brother-"

"Call me Dip-Dop," he interrupted, stepping slightly in front of her and removing the glittery cape he'd been wearing. He tossed it into the audience, where it landed on the irritated redhead. She shoved it onto Pacifica, startling her.

"Keep it," Wendy snapped.

The blonde felt the shiny material with gentle fingers. She recognized the light fabric as silk, perhaps mulberry? Whatever kind it was, it certainly wasn't sold at the Gravity Rises Mall. She turned to Gideon, but the smaller boy was drooling over Maybelle already. As the stylish brunette twisted and lept across the stage, Pacifica's companion watched with boyish anticipation. There was something about the twins that captivated the entire audience. They had an aura of sorts that surrounded them, making them glow. Even Wendy sat with borderline interest across her deadpan face.

The packed tent watched as trick after trick and feat after feat was completed by the young performers. Some were the old fashioned circus acts that one would typically expect from Stan Pines, but others were exotic and fresh. People gasped and squealed with every new thing that was shown off. Just as Maybelle had finished walking upside down on the tightrope strung across the stage, Dip Dop raised his voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your company today. For our final act, we'll be doing a classic: The Levitating Woman!"

"Now my brother and I will need one girl from the audience," Maybelle added, "Any volunteers?"

Right at that moment, Dip-Dop looked into the crowd of people, and Pacifica could swear those beautiful eyes were staring straight at her. She raised her hand and shook it lightly, wishing with all her heart to be picked. The boy scanned the crowd for a few more seconds before pointing his finger towards the blonde. "How about… you. Yes, you with the ponytail."

"And hideous getup," Maybelle snickered under her breath.

With assistance from the large stagehand, Pacifica climbed onto the stage. The twins had already wheeled out a small table, and both were waiting expectantly. Maybelle looked into the audience. "Alright folks, you know how this trick goes. She's going to lay down, and on the count of three, our assistant will be fast asleep. Then the magic happens!"

Dip-Dop offered his hand, "May I, Miss Pacifica?"

The blonde giggled at his knowledge, not realizing he'd only stolen a glance at the name on her bracelet, She took his hand, and the magician guided her onto the table. They both instructed her to lay completely still and straight. With two cool fingers, Dip-Dop brought her eyelids down. The twins counted to three and the audience sat on the edge of their seats.

Pacifica felt as if she was in a trance. She couldn't see or speak or move. The table slid gently out from under her, and she could hear everyone's collected gasp. Although nothing was beneath her, she felt as if she was in a cradle or hammock. It was almost as though a cloud surrounded her, and it was wondrously terrifying. The twins proudly showed her off.

"No wires!"

"No table!"

"Not even a sheet!"

"How did we even do it, dear sister?"

"Well, that's for us to know and all of you to never find out!"

There was a collective giggle as the table was placed beneath Pacifica once more. It was over as quickly as it began. Her eyelids fluttered open, and the blonde sat up, feeling dazed. She slid off the the table and curtseyed while the audience applauded loudly. She hadn't felt as bright since she'd one Little Miss Gravity Rises a few years ago. Dip-Dop moved to escort her offstage. As she exited, he shot a quick wink, causing her to smile back.

After she'd returned to her seat, Stan came onstage and hoisted both twins up. "Straight from the Pines Family Circus, Dip-Dop and Maybelle: Magicians and Performers Extraordinaire!"

The audience gave them a standing ovation, roaring with joyful applause. A few people tossed flowers. The twins joined hands and bowed, their smiles twisting into smirks. The bright amulets continued to pulsate under the flashy stage lights, but it wasn't as if anyone could really tell anyway.


End file.
